European Association of History Educators

The European Commission – Education and Training Conference on “Improving Education” held in Stockholm from 30 November - 1 December 2009, brought together researchers and policy makers in the education field to present key results from secondary analysis of international studies that are relevant for education policy making. Through various lectures that formed part of the event, the conference proved to be relevant not only for policy makers but also for teachers as it show-cased the evolving nature of education and its importance for social transformation, as well as the fact that the capacity of teachers need to be constantly improved and updated for effectiveness. In particular, the following sessions deserve the attention of history teachers: “School and education system effects on student achievements” - highlighted some transitions in systems and methods of education from the traditional to modern. “The impact of teachers and teaching on students’ achievements” – showed the essence of teachers’ professional development for educational outcomes.

[30/11//09] Europe today is not free from racism, xenophobia, islamophobia, anti-Gypsism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and other phobias directed against others. Minorities are made targets of hate speech, violence and systematic discrimination, not least in the job market. Responsible politicians must take such negative tendencies more seriously. There is a need to analyse and address the very root causes of these human and political failures.

It appears that intolerance has spread during the economic crisis. During my travels, I have observed that extremist groups and parties have become more active and more threatening and have succeeded in recruiting supporters from amongst young, unemployed men.

Groups such as Roma, who are already marginalised, have been increasingly targeted and subjected to particularly violent attacks. The response from mainstream political parties and other majority representatives has often been meek and confused.

The impact of “globalisation” is seen as one explanation for these problems. Increased migration inside and between countries and the ongoing electronic revolution have contributed to a feeling of insecurity among many. More and more people appear to feel the need to define their own identity in a world which is changing so rapidly.

President Sarkozy has initiated a country-wide debate in France on the very issue of the French national identity. In other European countries there are calls for the “identity” to be defined.

Such discussions could be helpful if those taking part avoided the trap of promoting one single identity which defines who is included and by extension who is excluded.
Despite its sad history of discrimination and oppression of minorities and vulnerable groups, Europe has always benefited from being an inherently pluralist, multi-faceted continent. Our ability to interact positively with one another will affect the future of Europe. Multiculturalism is a value which must be protected.

WARSAW, 16 November 2009 - Hate crimes continue to be a serious problem in many OSCE participating States, concludes a report published by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today.

The report, launched on the occasion of International Tolerance Day, says there were numerous instances of intimidation, threats, vandalism, assault, arson and murder during 2008. It also stresses that the full extent of hate crimes remains obscured by a lack of reliable data.

"Hate crimes have become a frequent occurrence in many participating States. But, unfortunately, the scarcity of data on these crimes makes it difficult to assess the true scope and nature of the problem and to devise effective policies to combat hate crimes," said Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, ODIHR's Director.

The report, published annually, provides statistics and other information on the extent and types of hate crimes, as well as government responses. It is based on data received from OSCE participating States, inter-governmental agencies and civil society groups.

The report points out that there are significant gaps in data collection in most participating States. Some do not collect any statistics on hate crimes at all, while others do not make this data public. The report emphasizes the need to record, investigate and prosecute hate crime cases, improve data collection, and strengthen co-operation with civil society to complement government efforts.

OSCE participating States have adopted a wide range of commitments to combat hate crimes. These commitments were adopted in recognition that these crimes pose a potential threat to domestic and international security, as they can undermine societal cohesion and sow the seeds of conflict and wider-scale violence.

The report is available at http://www.osce.org/publications/show_publication.php?id=41314

The European Union is calling all the EU Citizens to join the European Year against Poverty and Social Exclusion! Together with the EU, we can all contribute to limit the level of poverty and promote social inclusion and give voice to the concerns and needs of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion; Engage with civil society and non-governmental organisations that fight poverty and social exclusion; Help deconstruct stereotypes and stigmas attached to poverty and social exclusion. For more information, please visit the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion webiste.